Electrical connectors



United States Patent Oce 3,1 ill ,2.3i Patented Aug. v2t), 1963 corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 4, 195i), Ser. No. 67,260 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-176) The present invention relates to electricalconnectors and more specifically to sub-miniature multiple-contact connectors of the rack and panel type.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved miniaturized rack and panel-connector wherein all component parts ymay be of surprisingly simple, rugged and dependable conformation, yet wherein the assembly is nevertheless -suited t-o applications of high contact density wherein large numbers oi contacts are assembled in unusually closely spaced relation.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an improved design of connector plug and receptacle, land improved contacts therefor, such that dependable operation may be achieved without unnecessarily precise manufacturing tolerances, even in sub-miniature connectors wherein the contacts themselvesmay be of very small cross section as well as being unusually closely grouped.

A further object of the inventionis the provision of an improved sub-miniature rack and panel connector which is extremely durable, rugged Iand resistant to impact, vibration, elevated temperatures and other adverse environmental influences. v

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved and unique design of metallic contacts suited to use inelectrical connectors of the sub-miniature type wherein the contacts are of such construction as to be capable 4of an unusually large degree oflateral flexing or compliance without exceeding the elastic limits of the metal, and thus capable of successful operation even in instances in whi-ch there may be considerable misalignment of related parts.

A futher important object of the invention is the provision of an electrical connector including a receptacle and a coacting plug wherein both the plug and receptacle may be of simple, inexpensive and easily manufactured form, with the contacts nevertheless positively and rigidly A locked in the connector and of such design and construction that they need not be polished, plated or otherwise treated after fabrication. v

The foregoing objects are accomplished according to the present teachings by the provision of a sub-miniature rack and panel connector wherein both the plug and the receptacle have closely tted coacting slide faces, with the conductive contacts of both the plug and the receptacle positioned in parallel channels or grooves formed with tapering side lwalls designed in a manner whereby ythey tend to hold the contacts in properly centered position, yet provide for a considerable amount of lateral compliance in either direction. The contacts themselves are formed of simple, preformed shapes of resilient metallic wire, preferably round in cross section and preclad or Yplated with gold or other nonoonrosive, highly conductive metal. By thisfexpedient plating of the contacts after fabrication is unnecessary, yet the engaging surfaces of A'the contacts of both the plug and receptacle are smooth,

gently rounded and thus unlikely to be scratched, galled or otherwise damaged even after many thousands of u coupling and uncoupling operations of the connector.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing attached to and forming a part of the present specification, wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevational v-iew of a connector re- 2 `ceptacl-e constructed in accordance with the present teachmgs;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view thereof;`

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a connector plug adapted to be received by the above receptacle;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view-of the receptacle taken substantially on the lplane of the line v4 4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a similarly enlarged longitudinal crosssectional view of the plug taken substantially on the plane of the line 5--5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 i-s a greatly enlarged fragmental detail sectional view of the receptacle contacts in their mounting channels, the View being taken substantially on .they plane of the line 6--6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a similarly enlarged fragrnental detail sectional View oflthe contacts of the plug in their mountings, taken on the plane of the line 7-7 of FIGURES;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view's'imilar to FIGURES 4 and 5 but showing the plug and receptacle lin coupled relation, to illustrate the manner in which coacting contacts of the plug `and receptacle interengage ea'ch other; and t 1 l 4` FIGURE 9 is -a greatly Aenlarged fragmental detail sectional view taken substantially on the .plane of the line 9-,9 of FIGURE 8 `.and showing the positions the con- 'tacts assume when the plug and the receptacle are engaged 'having yscrew holes 14 to facilitate mounting the receptacle `on other pieces of electronic equipment,

The shell includes a central opening 15, `best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the opposite walls of which form slide surfaces 16 in which the plug of the connector is to be rcf ceiVed. The slide surfaces 16 are each provid-ed` with a plurality of closely spaced parallel V-shaped grooves or channels 17 extending from the mouth of the opening I5' (FIGURE 4) to =an aperture in the base 12, wherein extensions of the channels may be only of suicie'rit depth and width to accommodate the mounting shank` portions of the contacts hereinafter described.

The contacts of the receptacle are ea-ch formedof a single piece of plated or clad spring wire, preformed before assembly and preferably including a straight shank portion 21 with lateral offsets as shown at V2,2 and 23, with the offset Z2 joined to a terminal loop 24 extending rearwardly of the housing base. The contact wire extends forwardly from the oiset 23 into a gently curved 'spring blade comprising an elongated bowed portion 25, terminating in a forward retaining tip 26 seated between the converging tapered walls of its channels 17 at the forward 29 lcomprise coacting body portions of the receptacle y (FIGURE 4).

The receptacle shell 10 and its cap 28 are preferably of aluminum, but hard coated on theirlsurfaces as :I indicated at 30` (FIGURE 9) to insulate thevcontacts.

The plug of the connector comprises a body consisting of la 'projecting tongue having slide surfaces to be received within the receptacle, mounted in a hard coated aluminum base 3l (FIGURES 3 and 5). The base 31 is preferably provided with a mounting flange 32 and perforated ears 33 for attachment to other apparatus, and has a central aperture 314 in which the contacts are held in position by a nylon retaining insert 35 press-fitted or hotswaged into the aperture of the base, and including a forwardly projecting tongue portion 36 having opposite slid-e surfaces 37 each including a series of parallel channels 3S corresponding to the channels 17 heretofore described in :connection with the receptacle. lf desired, the inner surfaces of the aperture in the base 3l or the outersurfaces of the insert 315 may be provided with slots or `grooves (not shown) to accomodate the straight mounting shank portions 4d of the several contacts of i the plug, The contacts each include inward offset 4l at the forward end of its shank 40, leading to a bowed blade portion 42, the retaining tip i3 of which is seated in the forward end of its groove 38 and centered by the converging walls of the tapered groove. The forward end tips 43 of the plug contacts are retained against displacement from the channels 33 by flanges of a cap 44 secured thereon, as Ibest illustrated in FGURE 5. lin practice, this cap is of aluminum, hard-coated |to provide proper insulation. It will be observed, of course, that the contacts of the plug include offsets 45 leading to terminal portions 46 similar'to those of the contacts described in connection with the receptacle, but it is to .be noted that the terminal offsets of any of the contacts may be offset either inwardly, as at 4S, or outwardly as illustrated at 47, in order that the terminal connections of adjacent contacts maybe staggered from each other, if desired.

The contact wires of the plug and receptacle are both normally seated in their respective V-shaped tapered channels 17 and 38 where they tend to be held in centered position with respect to fthe channel by engagement of the opposite ends of their blade portions in the groove between the converging 4walls of the channel as Vdetailed in FIG- URES 6 and 7. From these views, it will be apparent that, when the plug and receptacle are disengaged, the individual bowed blade portions Z5y and 42 of the contact blades, although 'generally centered 4in their V-shaped grooves, will curve outwardly therefrom enough so that the central portion of the blade exposes a smoothly rounded, convex slide projecting beyond the plane of the surfaces 16 of the receptacle or 37 of the plug. As indicated, they may each project a distance equal to about one-half of the diameter of the contact wire. When the plug and receptacle are coupled, however, these projecting slide portions of the contacts engage each other so that each of the contacts will be flexed inwardly, as best illustrated in FIGURES 8 Van-d 9. As this occurs, the wires will normally displace each other laterally, moving each contacty against one of the V-shaped walls of its channel whereby the two interconnecting contacts are brought into wedged engagement with each other, and confined between the walls of the grooves as illustrated.

The manner of engagement of the two rwire contacts with each other is thus such as to -form an intimate, low-resistance electrical union, and to provide suicient lateral compliance of the contacts to achieve this result notwithstanding a considerable degree of misalignrnent of the mating contacts with cach other. The contacts thus establish depend-able connection with each other even in instanc wherein the contacts are out of exact registry laterally, even when olset from each other by a considerably portion of their width. The result is that the structure is ideally suited to sub-miniature applications,

and in sharp contrast to many prior art devices wherein normal necessary manufacturing tolerances often bri-ng about considerable operating difficulty.

In addition, connectors according to the present disclosure are of such design and construction that they have comparatively `few component parts, with all of the parts sodesigned as to be sturdy, rugged, and capable of long continued Iuse without perceptible wear or deterioration, even under adverse operating conditions.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim as new and 'desire to protect by United States Letters. Patent l. In 'an electrical connector, in combination, coacting body portions consisting of a base member having an aperture therethrough and a retaining insert fwithin said aperture; with one of said body portions havin-g slide surfaces adapted to engage a mating connector; together with a plurality of connector contacts each consisting of a single, preformed length of metallic wire of circular cross section throughout its length and having a relatively straight mounting shank secured between the aforesaid base and insert therein; the aforesaid insert being of relatively yieldable plastic force-fitted within the base in pressure relationship therewith to seal the Shanks of said plurality of contacts between the exterior surfaces of the insert and the interior surfaces of the aperture through the base, with terminal portions on each of said contacts extending from the body of the connector and with each contact having a blade adapted to engage another Contact and consisting of an elongated bowed portion of the wire received within a relatively straight deep, narrow, tapered channel having divergent walls recessed in one of the aforesaid body members, with the contact bow having its opposite ends seated at the bottom of said channel and centered between said divengent walls thereof; with the central portion of the bladel intermediate the ends thereof;` smoothly curved in a convex contour with respect to said body and fwith its central portion extending at least partially out of the tapered contact channel and projecting beyond the slide surface of the aforesaid body.

2. ln Ian electrical connector, in combination, coacting body portions consisting of a base member having an apen-ture therethrough and a retaining insert within said aperture; with one of said body portions having slide surfaces adapted to engage 1a mating connector; together Vwith a plurality of connector contacts each consisting of a single, preformed length of metallic wire of circular cross section thnoughout its length andhaving a mounting shank ysecured between .the aforesaid base and insert therein; with terminal portions on each of said contacts and with each contact having 'a blade adapted to engage another contact and consisting of an elongated bowed portion of lthe wire received within a relatively straight deep, nannow, tapered channel having divengent walls recessed in one off the aforesaid body members, with the contact bow having 4its opposite ends seated at the bottom of said channel and centered between said divergent walls thereof; with the central portion of the blade intermediate the lends thereof smoothly curved in a convex contour 'with respect to said body and with its central portion extending at least partially out of the tapered contact channel land projecting beyond the slide surface of the aforesaid body.

3. ln an electrical connector, in combination, coacting body portions consisting of a base member having 1an aperture therethrough and a retaining insert within said aperture; with one :of said body pontions having slide surfaces adapted to engage a mating connector; together with a plurality of connector contacts each consisting of a single, preformed length of metallic wire having a mounting shank secured between the aforesaid base and insect therein; with terminal portions cf each ott' said contacts extending from the body of the connector and with each contact having a blade adapted to engage another contact and consisting of an elongated bowed portion of the wine neceived within la relatively deep, narrow, tapered channel having divergent walls recessed in the slide surface of one of the 'aforesaid body members, with the contact bow having its opposite ends seated at the bottom of said channel and centered between said divergent Iwalls thereof; Iwith the central portion of the blade intermediate the ends thereof smoothly curved in a convex contour with respect to Isaid body and with its central portion extending at least partially out of the tapered contact channel land projecting beyond the slide surface of the aforesaid body.

4. In `an electrical connector, in combination, a body member having at least one slide surface adapted to engage la mating connector; together with a plurality of connector contacts each consisting of a single, preformed of the blade intermediate the ends thereof smoothly curved in a convex contour with respect to said body and length of metallic Wire #out circular cross section throughont its length and having a mounting yshank secured in lsaid body, with tenminal portions on each of said contacts extending 'from the biody of the connector and with each cont-act 'having a blade `adapted to engage Ianother Contact and consisting @of .an elongated bowed por- Ition of the wire received within a relatively deep, narrow, tapered channel in the slide surface of the aforesaid body member, with the contact bow having its opposite ends seated at the bottom of said channel `and centered between divergent Walls thereof; with the central portion with its central portion extending at `least pant-'rally out of lthe tapered contact channel `and projecting beyond the slide surface fof the aforesaid body.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,032,470 Chirelstein Mar. 3, 1936 2,292,049 Chirelstei-n Ang. 4, 1942 2,530,354 Hayslett Nov. 14, 1950 2,699,534 Klostemmann Jan. 11, 1955 2,935,725 Fox May 3, 1960 3,002,176A Yopp Sept. 26, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,042,463 France Nov. 2, 1953 

4. IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, IN COMBINATION, A BODY MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SLIDE SURFACE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A MATING CONNECTOR, TOGETHER WITH A PLURALITY OF CONNECTOR CONTACTS EACH CONSISTING OF A SINGLE, PERFORMED LENGTH OF METALLIC WIRE OF CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH AND HAVING A MOUNTING SHANK SECURED IN SAID BODY, WITH TERMINAL PORTIONS ON EACH OF SAID CONTACTS EXTENDING FROM THE BODY OF THE CONNECTOR AND WITH EACH CONTACT HAVING A BLADE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE ANOTHER CONTACT AND CONSISTING OF AN ELONGATED BOWED PORTION OF THE WIRE RECEIVED WITHIN A RELATIVELY DEEP, NARROW, TAPERED CHANNEL IN THE SLIDE SURFACE OF THE AFORESAID BODY MEMBER, WITH THE CONTACT BOW HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS SEATED AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHANNEL AND CENTERED BETWEEN DIVERGENT WALLS THEREOF; WITH THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BLADE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF SMOOTHLY CURVED IN A CONVEX CONTOUR WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY AND WITH ITS CENTRAL PORTION EXTENDING AT LEAST PARTIALLY OUT OF THE TAPERED CONTACT CHANNEL AND PROJECTING BEYOND THE SLIDE SURFACE OF THE AFORESAID BODY. 